Door for hogpens



Dec. 11, 1928. 1,694,598

J. W. LAFFERTY DOOR FOR HOGPENS Fild April 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 11, 1928.

J. W. LAFFERTY DOOR FOR Hoe-FEMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 24, 1928 am uent o'u Gm z n u: J

l atenteol Dec. 11, 1928.

STATES JACOB W. LAFFERTY, OF MECHANIOSBURG, OHIO, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF TO JOHN M. LAFFERTY, OZE MEGHANICSBURG, OHIO.

DOOR FOR HOGPENS.

Application filed April 24, 1928. Serial No. 272,489.

This invention relates to improvements in hog pens, it more particularly relating to means operated by the hogs entering and leaving the pen for locking and unlocking the gate after a predetermined number of hogs are in the pen.

The object of my invention is to provide automatically operated means of the character described which will be simple in construction' and effectivein operation.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a gate and automatic locking means for the same so arranged as to insure the proper progressive operation of the latch by hogs entering or leaving the pen in close formation, that is, when the hogs are closely trailing each other; a more specific object in this connection being to provide automatic latching means which will be operated by the hogs to latching or unlatching position regardless of-the position of the gate.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is top plan view of the gate and its latch-operating means.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. a

Fig. 3 is an elevationof the inner side of the gate and the latch operating means.

Fig. f is an elevation of the outer side of the same.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a portion of the hog pen and the entrance to the same which contains a door and latch operating devices.

In housing hogs in pens it is desirable that the number of hogs to a pen be limited to prevent overcrowding and consequent injury to the animals, particularly in cold weather when the natural tendency of the hogs is to huddle. Also, when a sow and its pigs are housed in a pen it is desirable that other hogs be kept out of the pen. To that end I have devised a pen having a door together with a latch for the door so arranged that after a predetermined number of hogs have entered the pen the door will become automatically locked from the outside, the arrangement being also such that the door is free to open by hogs leaving the pen and the latch operated to unlocking position by progressive steps so that the door will again become locked from the outside by the entrance into the pen by the same number of animals that leave the pen. The arrangement is also such that the operation of the latch from latching to unlatching position or vice versa is entirely independent of the position of the door so that if a plurality of hogs closely follow each other and the hogs enter or leave the pen before the door has completely closed the latch will nevertheless be operated in progressive fashion by each individual hog. It should be stated in this connection however that it rarely happens that more than one hog entersthe pen at a time, but it is a common thing for the entire number of hogs in the pen to leave the pen in close formation, particularly at feeding time.

Referring to the drawings, 1 resents the hog pen, the opening into which. is approached by a narrow entrance-way formed of longitudinal side rails 2 connected to vertical corner posts 3. A door a is pivotally hung through the medium of hinge straps 5 from a stationary shaft 6 supported by the forward corner posts 3. The door, which may be of any suitable construction, is provided with a centrally arranged vertical channel 7 within which is mounted a latch 8 which cooperates with an abutment 9 located on the floor 10 of the entrance-way. The latch is connected with a cable 11 which passes over a sheave 12 rotatably mounted on the shaft 6, thence about a second sheave 13 and thence about a drum 14. The drum is fast to a shaft 15 which is mounted to rotate at the free end of a swinging frame, the members of which are indicated at 16, and which are pivoted as at 17 to two of the members 2 of the entrance-way. These frame members 16 have upwardly extending arms 18 which carry a stationary shaft 19 upon which the sheave 13 is rotatably mounted and they also have two other downwardly extending arms 20 which carry a rotatable shaft 21 to which 5 is fixed a pair of friction rolls 22 and a pinion 23. Fixed to the shaft 15 is a hub member 24 which carries a gear ring 25 which is in mesh with the pinion 23 and one end of the cable is attached to this gear. The pivoted 6) repframe is supported by a chain 26 attached to the shaft 19 at one end and having its other end attached to a cross member 30 supported by the uprights 3. i

The operation is a. follows: The height oi the friction rolls 22 is adjusted by the chain 29 so that those rolls will normally stand in the path of a hog passing therebeneath. With the pen empty the position of the latch is adjus d by the cable to position depending upon the number of hogs which it is the intention to admit to the pen. Each time a hog enters the pen the friction rolls 2:2, rolling along the back of the hog, rotates the shaft 521, pinion 28, gear 25, and drum 1 1- to lower the cable and latch a definite distance. It the latch has been set to admit sin hogs, after the last hog has entered the pen the latch will be projected to the position shown in dotted lines in 2 so as to lock the door against the entrance oi any more hogs. Pi; the hogs leave the pen they will pro 'essivciy raise the latch to unlocl; the dooi outside, the door being free to s wardly at all times against pressure inside.

By this arrangement it will be seen that the position or the door has nothing to do with the raising and lowering of the latch so that should a plurality of hogs leave the pen so closely together that the door would remain in open position the latch would nevertheless be proper y operated to raise the latch a distance corresponding to the number of hogs which leave the pen.

The extent to which the latch is raised or lowered may be adjusted by altering the size of the drum. l have shown, in addition to the drum 1%, two other drums A and 14'', formed rigidly with the drum 14, which may be used for hogs of difierent size. The drums are detachably connected with the shalt 15 by a ball 31 pressed into engagement with any one of a series or recesses 32 in the shaft 15 by a spring 33 to permit either one of the drums to be brought into proper position to receive the cable.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. in a structure of the character described, a door, a latch for said door, and means for moving said latch progressively to or from its latching position by animals passing therethrough independently of the position of said door.

2. in a structure of the character described, a door, a latch for said door carried thereby, and means for moving said latch progres sively to or from its latching position by animals passing therethrough independently of the position of said door.

3. in a structure 01" the character described, adoor, a latch for said door slidably mounted therein for vertical movement, and means for raising or lowering said latch progres sively to or from latching position by animals passing therethrough independently of the position of said door.

i. In a structure of the character described, a door, a latch for said door, a rotatable friction member arranged in the path of the backs of animals entering the door, and means connecting said friction member with said latch to move said latch progressively to or from latching position by animals pass ing through said door.

5. In a structure of the character described, a door, a latch for said door, a rotatable friction member arranged in the path of the backs of animals passing through said door, means for operating said latch from said friction member, said means including a drum and a cable connected with said latch and connected with said drum so as to be wound and unwound thereby.

6. In a structure of the character described, a door, a latch for said door, a rotatable friction member arranged in the path of animals passing through said door, a pinion rotatable with said friction member, a gear meshing with said pinion, a drum mounted to rotate with said gear, and a cable connected with said latch and connected with said drum so as to be wound and unwound thereby.

7. In a structure or" the character described, a door, a latch for said door, a member removed trom said door and operated by animals passing therebeneath, and a connection between said member and said latch whereby said latch will be moved progressively to or from latching position by animals passing through said door.

8. In a structure of the character described, a door pivoted at its upper end so as to swing inwardly or outwardly, a vertically movable latch carried by said door, a fixed abutment cooperating with said latch, a rotatable friction roller arranged in the path of animals which pass through said door, and a cable connected with said latch and also operatively connected with said friction memher to progressively raise or lower said latch to or from latching position.

9. In a structure of the character described, a door hinged at its upper end to swing inwardly or outwardly, a vertically extending channel in said door, a latch slidably mounted in said channel, an operating member arranged in the path of animals entering or leaving the structure through said door, and a connection between said operating member and said latch whereby said latch is progres sively lowered or raised. to or from latching position.

10. in a structure of the character described, a narrow entrance-way leading to said structure, a pivoted door at the outer end of said entrance-way, an animal operated de vice within said entrance-way, a movable latch for said door, and a connection between said device and said latch whereby said latch is moved progressively to or from latching p0- sition as animals enter or leave said structure through said entranceway.

11. In a structure of the character described, a pivoted door, a latch for said door, an animal operated device 7 arranged in the path of animals entering or leaving said structure, and a connection between said device and said latch comprising a cable and a drum member upon which said cable Winds, said drum member having a plurality of winding surfaces of difierent diameters.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of April, 19:28.

JACOB W. LAFFERTY. 

